International Business Machines Corporation

Dae Ik Kim

Jonghae Kim

James Randal Moulic

Moon Jung Kim

Moon Ju Kim

Choongyeun Cho

Hong Hua Song

Method, system and article of manufacture are provided for continually monitoring reliability, or aging, of a digital system and for issuing a warning signal if digital system operation degrades to or past a specified threshold. The technique includes periodically determining a maximum frequency of operation of the digital system, and generating a warning signal indicative of a reliability degradation of the digital system if at least one of: (i) a measured or estimated maximum frequency of operation of the digital system is below a warning threshold frequency of operation of the digital system, wherein the warning threshold frequency is greater than or equal to a manufacturer specified minimum frequency of operation for the digital system; or (ii) a rate of change in the difference between measured maximum frequencies of operation of the digital system exceeds an acceptable rate of change threshold for the digital system.

Frequency-based, active monitoring of reliability of a digital system

Systems, methods and program codes are provided for testing multi-core processor chip structures. Individual processor core power supply voltages are provided through controlling individual power supplies for each core, in one aspect to ensure that one or more cores operate at clock rates in compliance with one or more performance specifications. In one example, a first power supply voltage supplied to a first processing core differs from a second core power supply voltage supplied to a second processing core, both cores operating in compliance with a reference clock rate specification. Core power supply voltages may be selected from ordered discrete supply voltages derived by progressively raising or lowering a first supply voltage, optionally wherein the selected supply voltage also enables the core to operate within another performance specification.

Testing processor cores

In a random number generator, a first converter converts a first analog noise signal into a random digital clock signal and a second converter samples a second analog noise signal asynchronous to the first analog noise signal in response to the random digital clock signal and generates a random digital number stream. In one aspect, a random number generator output block samples the second converter random digital number stream in response to the random digital clock signal and generates a random number generator block output. In another aspect a pseudo noise source state machine generates the random digital clock signal in response to a first seed generated from the first analog noise signal, a second seed from process variation digital amplifier, and a past machine state.

Random number generator with random sampling

Systems, methods and program codes are provided for selectively adjusting multi-core processor chip structure individual processor core power supply voltages through controlling individual power supplies for each core, in one aspect to ensure that one or more cores operate at clock rates in compliance with one or more performance specifications. Nominal power supply voltage is supplied to a first processing core, and a second core power supply voltage greater or lower than the nominal power supply voltage is supplied to a second processing core, both cores operating in compliance with a reference clock rate specification. The second power supply voltage may be selected from ordered discrete supply voltages derived by progressively lowering the nominal supply voltage, optionally wherein the selected supply voltage also enables the second core to operate within another performance specification.

Independent processor voltage supply

Back end of line (BEOL) circuit structures and methods are provided for blocking externally-originating or internally-originating electromagnetic interference. One such BEOL circuit structure includes one or more semiconductor substrates supporting one or more integrated circuits, and one or more BEOL layers disposed over the semiconductor substrate(s). At least one BEOL layer includes a conductive pattern defined at least partially by a plurality of elements arrayed in a first direction and a second direction throughout at least a portion thereof. The plurality of elements are sized and positioned in at least one of the first and second directions to block electromagnetic interference of a particular wavelength from passing therethrough. In one implementation, a first conductive pattern of a first BEOL layer polarizes electromagnetic interference, and a second conductive pattern of a second BEOL layer blocks the polarized electromagnetic interference.

Circuit structures and methods with BEOL layer(s) configured to block electromagnetic interference

System and method are provided for continually monitoring reliability, or aging, of a digital system and for issuing a warning signal if digital system operation degrades past a specified threshold. The technique includes implementing a ring oscillator sensor in association with the digital system, wherein logic and/or device percent composition of the ring oscillator sensor mirrors percent composition thereof within the digital system. Counter logic is coupled to the ring oscillator sensor for converting outputted count signals to an oscillation frequency, and control logic is coupled to the counter logic for periodically evaluating oscillation frequency of the ring oscillator sensor and generating a warning signal indicative of reliability degradation if at least one of: (i) a measured or estimated oscillation frequency is below a warning threshold frequency; or (ii) a measured or estimated rate of change in a difference between measured oscillation frequencies exceeds an acceptable rate of change threshold.

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Fishkill, NY, United States of America

Dae Ik Kim